Water closet flush tank



Dec. 30, 1952 D. E. GULICK ET AL WATER CLOSET FLUSH TANK.

Filed April 15, 1947 i 4a Z- '56 IN VEN TORS 1% 04- W0 E. GUL /C/( AND #44455 M. A/EA/DQ/C/(SON Patented Dec. 30, 1952 WATER CLOSET FLUSH TANK David E. Gulick and James M. Hendrickson, Kittanning, Pa., assignors to Eljer Company, Ford City, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application April 15, 1947, Serial No. 741,548

2 Claims.

This invention relates generally to improve ments in water closet flush tanks, and more particularly to flush tanks having an integral overflow pipe.

The principal object of this invention is the provision of a flush tank having an integral over-flow passage which is constructed to enable it to be integrally cast when the tank is cast from clay slip and then withdrawn from the mold finished, dried, and then enameled and baked without having the integral overflow collapse or otherwise become distorted during the manufacturing process.

Another object is the provision of a flush tank having an integral over-flow and the process of making the same.

Another object is the provision of an integral seat on the wall of the flush tank for properly supporting a refill tube.

Other objects and advantages appear here and hereafter in the following description and claims.

A practical embodiment illustrating the principles of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the molded closet flush tank comprising this invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the over-flow passage on the lines 3-3 of Fig. 1 with parts broken away.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary isometric view illustrating a modified form of the refill tube support.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing a modified form of the refill tube support.

Fig. 6 is a View similar to Fig. 4 showing a modified form of the refill tube support.

Referring principally to Figures 1, 2, and 3 of the drawings the flush tank It] is substantially rectangular in cross-section and is cast from a clay slip in a mold provided with a removable core. The tank is provided with a front wall H, a rear wall [2, end walls l3 and I4, and the bottom wall [5 which are formed integral with each other.

The mold cavity is complementary to the exterior surface of the flush tank H) and the extension surface of the mold core is complementary to the interior surface of the flush tank, which mold and core surfaces complete the cavity in which the flush tank is integrally molded. The mold core is assembled within the mold cavity and clamped and the clay slip is poured through the mold core in substantial axial alignment with the integral over-flow passageway i6.

The over-flow passageway I6 is cast integral with the rear wall l2 of the tank and the opening I! at the top of the passageway is positioned at the desired over-flow level of the flush tank. The partition wall I8 forming the passageway I6 is substantially semi-cylindrical and continues rearwardly on both sides providing a reversed curve that integrally combines with the inner face of the rear wall l2 thereby providing a completely enclosed passageway.

The lower end of the semi-cylindrical partition wall l8 curves and extends toward the front of the tank to produce the outlet chamber 20 which is provided with aligned upper and lower circular openings 2| and 22. The top edge of the upper opening 2| is beveled as indicated at 23 to pro? vide a seat for the spherical or semi-spherical float valve 24. This float valve seats directly in the opening and is secured to the end of the stem 25 which rides through the guide 26 that is adjustably mounted by means of the bolt 2'! on the boss or projection 28 which is also formed integral with the front wall ll of the tank by afiixing it thereto immediately after the tank is cast. An eye 30 is formed on the upper end of the stem 25 above the guide 26 and is arranged to be engaged by the lift link 3| which is provided with the eye 32 that surrounds the stem 25 above the guide. The lift link 3| is arranged to be attached to the lever 33 that is secured to the shaft 34 which extends through the front wall ll of the tank and is provided with the operating handle 35 on the outer side. The guide 26 is adjustably mounted on the integral boss 28 to properly align the valve 24 for seating engagement on the beveled valve seat 23.

The lower opening 22 of the outlet chamber 20 is arranged to mate with the inlet opening 36 of the closet bowl 37. The rear shelf of the closet bowl is provided with an annular recess 38 surrounding the upper end of the inlet opening 36 for the purpose of receiving the annular sealing ring 39. Openings 40 and 4| are pro vided in the tank bottom l5 for the purpose of receiving the mounting bolts which secure thetank to the rear shelf of the closet bowl. The water supply for the closet tank is connected to the inlet pipe 42 which is mounted within the tank and rises toward the top thereof and is provided with the ball valve 43 actuated by the ball float 44 on the end of the arm 45. The valve 43 also controls the flow of water through the refill tube 46 which extends from the valve 43 and is directed to the opening ll of the overflow passage 16 as shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3.

A lug 4'! is formed integral with the top of the partition wall I8 that forms the overflow passage and with the rear Wall I2 of the tank. This lug is provided with the seat 48 for the purpose of properly supporting the refill tube 45. As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3, this lug is cast integrally with the tank. The lug '41 may be cast separately and inserted on the rear wall of the tank immediately after it is cast as illustrated in Figures and 6. In Fig. 4 the lug 50 may be integrally cast on the tank and the hole 5| out therethrough for receiving the refill tube 46. It is necessary to cut the hole 5I or the core employed to form the inner-surface of the tank casting could not have been withdrawn without first requiring the lateral removal of a core which would have been provided for forming the hole 5!. As shown in Fig. 5, the lug 50 has been placed on the rear wall I2 of the tank at a position intermediate the overflow passage I6 and the float valve 43. This lug was separately cast and positioned on the tank wall immediately after the tank was cast and the core withdrawn. The lug 52 shown in Fig. 6 is provided with an upwardly open slot 53 and receives refill tube 45. In view of the fact that the lug 52 is not placed above the wall of the overflow passage it is of course necessary to pre-form this lug the same as that shown in Fig. 5, and apply it to the back wall I2 of the tank casting before the latter is burned to form it integral with the tank.

Either of the three lugs 41, 59, and 52 performs a needed service in the flush tank art as they properly support the refill tube 46 so as to direct the water discharged therefrom down the overflow passage I6. Water closets are designed to require the additional water supplied by the refill tube for insuring the proper closure of the liquid trap in the closet bowl. Frequently, users will bend or otherwise direct the water of the refill tube to the tank proper rather than to permit it to flow down the overflow passage I 6 and fill the water trap. They do not appreciate the necessity of having the proper amount of water within the trap and feel that it is being wasted. However, the mere application of either of the lugs 41, 58, or 52, which provide a permanent seat for retaining or supporting the refill tube adjacent to the end thereof, provides a permanent seat as well as a psychological teaching which prevents the user from misdirecting the water from the refill tube. Thus the lugs for supporting the refill tube per form a very important service. Those skilled in the art fully realize the importance of closing off the sewer gases by means of a properly filled closet bowl liquid trap.

Another very important feature of the use of the integral refill tube lugs 41, 58 and 52 is to insure that the outlet end of the refill tube will always be maintained above the water level in the tank. These lugs are not only positioned above the overflow opening but they function in conjunction with the actual length of the refill tube to maintain the end of the refill tube at all times above the highest water level in the flush tank. One reason for always maintaining the end of the refill tube above the water level is to prevent siphoning of contaminated water from the closet flush tank when the overflow pipe becomes clogged and filled with contaminated water, and the water system is drained through the water pipe. If the end of the refill tube were below the water level in the flush tank the contaminated water within the tank may be siphoned back through the refill tube and into the water supply pipe when the latter is drained.

If the outlet end of the refill tube happens to extend down into the overflow below the level of the water it is apt to siphon water from the flush tank through the ball check and the refill tube to the overflow thereby lowering the water level within the tank and causing the ball check valve to again open to replenish the supply. A situation of this character may continue causing a constant flow or leakage of water from the system; thus it is desirable to maintain the end of the overflow pipe above the water level or the overflow level and prevent leakage of this character.

In casting a flush tank having an integral overflow, the slip is poured into the cavity of the mold formed between the mold and its pressure retained inserted core. Within a relatively short period of time, the slip casts or solidifiers on the cavity surfaces of the mold and the core and after it has been permitted to solidify to a sufficient degree the bottom of the mold is opened to permit the excess slip to be drained from between the cast walls I2 and It. The withdrawal of the liquid slip thus provides the integral overflow passage I6 and the outlet chamber 20. The slip is inserted into the mold cavity in substantial axial alignment with the overflow passage I6 and during the casting period the slip substantially closes the hole of the top of the overflow passage IS with the exception of a small hole through which the slip is poured. If, by chance, the hole through which the slip enters the overflow passage I5 becomes substantially or completely cast over so as to make it solid after the mold cavity has been adequately supplied with the proper amount of slip, and the cook or stop in the bottom of the mold is open to drain out the excess slip from the overflow passageway, the partition wall I8 is likely to collapse due to the formation of a partial vacuum within the overflow passageway IE. A flat partition wall of a cast tank, when in a leatherlike state, may collapse when bumped or handled due to its own weight. For these and other reasons it was found difiicult to produce integral overflow passageways formed by relatively flat partition walls. Sometimes the partition wall would collapse if the freshly made casting was subjected to vibration. Diiferent attempts were made to overcome these difliculties but they did not prove successful until the partition wall I8 was formed in a substantially semicircular shape from the top of the overflow passage to across the bottom forming the outlet chamber 28. The passageway 54 is formed by the arcuate wall 55 extending from the wall I8 to the chamber 20 and was also formed in arcuate shape as illustrated in Fig. 3 to avoid material loss in production. This portion of the passage was reduced in size between the vertical portion of the overflow passageway I8 and the chamber 20 as illustrated at 56, in Fig. 1. The reduced passageway 54 is somewhat smaller than the cross-sectional area of the vertical section overflow passageway but it is greater in capacity than the inlet pipe 42 so that the integral overflow passage is capable of handling all of the water that enters the overflow passage I5.

The circular opening I I at the top of the overflow passageway I5 is formed by punching out the material that is cast over the top of the overflow passageway I5. As previously stated, the top of the overflow passageway I6 is ordinarily completely covered except for the hole indicated by the dotted line 56 through which the slip enters the overflow passageway I5 when the molds are being filled to cast the tank. The hole 56 frequently casts over. The unching operation for the hole 17 is performed by a cylindrical tube.

sharpened at one end, which is forced down through the closed top of the overflow passageotherwise destroying the partition wall l8 or the wall of the tank. The punch employed to form the hole 11 is chosen so that its diameter is sub stantially the same as the bore of the overflow passageway I6, thus making the opening I! substantially tangent to the rear wall l2 and the partition wall I 8, thereby permitting the latter to fully support the cast clay covering the top of the passageway and preventing distortion during the punching operation. This structure and method thus produces a very neat and trim opening?! and the adjacent walls will not be distorted nor sag and the whole of the structure is made very strong. It will resist the ordinary bumps or vibrations that occur when handling the ware bei'ore firing. This represents a very important advancement in this art as it materially reduces the losses due to rejects.

We claim:

1. A ceramic closet flush tank having a floor and upwardly extending front, back and end walls formed integral with each other, an inwardly extending arcuate wall forming a passag and having a vertical portion and a horizontal portion formed integral on the inner surface of the back wall and the floor respectively and positioned between said end walls, said arcuate wall having a uniformly curved connection between the vertical back wall portion and the horizontal fioor portion and open at the top to provide an overflow passage, a substantially enlarged and wide flattened section in the horizontal floor portion of said arcuate wall forming a flush chamber, an upwardly facing annular flush valve seat in said enlarged and flattened section defining an inlet from said tank to said flush chamber, and a discharge opening in the tank floor below said valve seat.

2. The structure of claim 1 which also includes a ceramic guide seat formed integral on the inner surface of the back wall adjacent the top of said arcuate wall to support and direct the end of a refill tube into the over-flow passage formed by said arcuate wall.

DAVID E. GULICK. JAMES M. HENDRICKSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,154,695 Frieslenben Sept. 28, 1915 1,435,644 Kelly Nov. 14, 1922 1,536,358 Stacey May 5, 1925 1,601,210 Haas Sept. 28, 1926 2,179,309 Tilden Nov. 7, 1939 2,210,796 Crane Aug. 6, 1940 2,482,970 Garrat-t Sept. 27, 1949 

